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Chaz Davies said after Imola that he feels as though he is “dancing on Ducati”, and after a dominant double in Italy the home crowd must have thought he could walk on water. Davies took his second double of the season and his utter domination of the weekend showed how strong he can be this year, as well as just how competitive the Ducati is now.

From the first laps of Friday practice, Davies was in a class of his own and his superiority was such that he even nabbed a second career Superpole. Davies has often been a poorer qualifier compared to his speed during races, so starting from pole position his rivals were correct to be wary.

After his Race 1 success, Davies declared that he was thrilled with the Ducati and that his confidence in the bike was such that “every circuit can be a red circuit this season.”

The Kawasaki duo of Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes gave chase, but ultimately they had no answers for Davies at Imola, or in Aragón. Left to squabble amongst themselves for the other podium spots, it was Rea who came out on top in both races.

While some tension from inside the Kawasaki pitbox has distilled on the track at three Rounds, it has once again been in stark contrast to other teams. With Davies leading Ducati, the Welshman is able to ride with complete confidence and backing from his team. While the tension was palpable in the Kawasaki garage, the serenity of the Ducati team was in stark contrast. With Davies leaving the rest of the field in his wake it was a perfect weekend for the Ducati hierarchy to attend, and with Paulo Ciabatti and Gigi Dall’Igna on site they were given the perfect illustration of the development work that the bike has undergone.

Last year the Ducati Panigale was a good bike but often not quite a match for the Kawasaki. Upgrades centered on the engine, to increase power and rideability, have transformed the bike. While Davies trails Rea by 35 points in the standings, he has momentum in his favour following his Aragon and Imola doubles, and looks set to keep his title challenge on track.

Like Davies, Leon Camier has been another rider riding free of the constraints of looking over his shoulder and the Englishman is flourishing at MV Agusta. Camier brought the Italian marque their first ever points at Imola with a superb top five in both races. It was a terrific illustration of the progress that has been made by his team, and the MV has impressively evolved from a back of the grid bike to knock on the door of the podium.

Camier’s performances have been consistent and faultless this season and his reputation has soared. After a difficult season in 2015 he has put those difficulties behind him and developed the bike into a very potent package. The MV still lacks for power but the sweet handling chassis has been able to offer Camier plenty of confidence and he is taking advantage of it. A podium will still need one of the Kawasaki riders or Davies to falter, but it’s now far from a longshot to consider Camier as a podium contender in some rounds.

At the top of the table, however, there are two real title contenders. For Davies to beat Rea, who also has a pair of doubles to his name so far in 2016, will be no small task but the Ducati is now his ally and the Welshman is ready to paint the upcoming circuits red.